I started this story just a little while ago. I'm not sure if it's going to be any good, so if anyone reads, I would really appreciate a review! I hope you guys will like this.

"Lisa, wait up!" a familiar voice called from behind me over the chattering voices that echoed off the walls of the prep school's walls. It appeared to be a completely normal day for me. Here I was in ninth grade, living the live of a completely normal high-schooler. I paused in the hallway to wait up for whoever had called my name. Mandy, my best friend, who had been walking next to me rolled her eyes and said, "I've gotta keep moving. I have dance practice tonight and mom's gonna kill me if I'm late from school again."

I gave Mandy a sympathetic look, "Aw, your parents are way too strict on you. Well, have a nice time at dance practice. Don't forget to work on our science project, okay?" Mandy grimaced at the reminder, but nodded nonetheless, "Yeah, I know. Mrs. Anderson is such a bitch. I mean seriously, how the hell does she expect us to finish the project by the end of the week?" I shrugged my shoulders as Mandy was swallowed up by the sea of students in the hallway, "No idea. Seeya tomorrow girl!"

I could helped but feel sorry for Mandy. Her parents could be on the "World's Strictest Parents" television show. They were always bitching about something or the other and I knew for a fact that they drove Mandy crazy. My parents, on the other hand, were the complete opposite. They really could care less about me as long as I got good grades and was on fairly good behavior while they were around. But besides for that, I could do whatever I want. I could stay up as late as I wanted, watch whatever movies I wanted, come and go as I please, and even sleep over at anyone's house without permission...including a guy's place. Of course, that hadn't happened yet, but it was nice to know that my parents weren't going to give me the sex talk or any other shitty lecture about boyfriends.

Someone's warm breath drifted onto my neck, tickling my skin. I turned to see my best friend and boyfriend standing right next to me. His dark brown hair was tousled, his breath was coming in pants, but his dark brown eyes twinkled at me as he took my hand and we started down the hallway together. As I entwined my fingers through his, I asked, "So how was your day, Joe?" Joe made a face and shuddered, "Terrible! I completely failed algebra and biology isn't going much better. How was your day?"

"Well..." I went over the events of today in my head. Overall, it hadn't been too bad. "It's great now that you're here with me." Having Joe by my side always lightened mood and made my heart skip a beat. Joe and I had been friends for as long as I could imagine. Our parents had been good friends before we were born, so it was only natural that Joe and I would become the closest of friends. As a matter of fact, I simply couldn't imagine my life without Joe. He meant more to me than anything else in the world. He was my supporter, my lover, and my encourager. It just wasn't possible to have a better friend than Joe.

Joe and I had been best friends until sixth grade. At that point, we entered a relationship without even really discussing it. It just fell into place like it was the most natural thing in the world. Most people say that young love comes and goes, but the love Joe and I shared was different. Neither of us had ever considered going off with someone else. It seemed like we loved each other more and more each day.

"Aren't you sweet!" Joe responded to my previous statement and brushed his lips across my cheek as we stepped out of the stuffy school and out into the fresh, spring air. A group of girls sitting on the wooden steps that led up to the entrance of the school groaned loudly as we walked by them. It certainly wasn't a secret that Joe and I were together. Actually, we had earned the reputation of the two lovebirds of the school. But Joe and I didn't give a shit about what anyone else thought of us. All that mattered was us. Nobody else mattered one little fucking bit.

Joe and I proceeded down the stone path that led up to the school, enjoying the feel of the spring breezing ruffling through our hair and the sun beating down on our happy faces. As we approached the end of the road, Joe paused, forcing me to pause too, and turned to look at me, "Do you want to drop by tonight? I could really use some help on my homework. Plus we could do some 'other things' too." Joe winked at me. Whenever I went over to Joe's house to help him with homework, we ended up spending five minutes on the actual homework and two hours making out on the couch when Joe's parents weren't home.

The offer was much too tempting and I nodded my head eagerly, "Yeah, I'd love to come by! I think my dad has a job interview tonight and my mom's working late anyway. It would be really nice to have some company. Sometimes I just hate being alone." My dad had lost his job as an accountant two years ago and had just been doing odd jobs around the town since then. My mom worked as a cashier in the local grocery store. Her pay wasn't very much and sometimes it was very hard to pay the bills. That's why my dad had constantly been looking for another secure job ever since he lost his job. Being tight on money stressed everyone out.

"So why don't you come around nine?" Joe suggested innocently, "I think my parents will be gone then." It wasn't that we were trying to avoid each other's parents or anything, it was just that it was so much easier when they weren't around. Most parents didn't want to find their young fourteen-year-old entwined with a a girl in an intense makeout session. Joe's parents weren't nearly as carefree as mine. They definitely had their rules set out, but they were petty rules that Joe and I could avoid easily. Actually, the only rule they had put up for us regarding our relationship was that we were to wait to have sex. So far, we had obeyed this rule. But how long it was going to last was something I didn't know. If our relationship kept up at this rate, I'd probably end up losing my virginity before I was fifteen.

"Nine sounds good," I replied, giving Joe a smile. We had reached the end of the pavement and this was where we usually went our separate ways. Joe's house was on the east side of town whereas mine was on the left. Both of us hesitated on the sidewalk, neither of us wanting to part just yet. Joe reached up and ran a few fingers through my auburn curls. His fingers made their way down my neck and across my collarbone. He looked like he was tempted to move his hands under my shirt, but knew better since we were in public. I gave Joe a quick peck on the cheek and started walking towards the direction of my house, calling over my shoulder, "See you in a few hours!"

Joe waved as I walked away, his eyes never leaving me. As I walked the short distance back to my house, I tried to focus my attention on the science project Mandy and I were suppose to be working on. But now matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't get my mind off of Joe. Joe occupied about ninety-five percent of my thoughts. Most people would say that we had an obsessive relationship. Maybe it was, but I didn't care because I knew that we shared strong, untainted love for each other.

~ ~ ~ ~

About a half an hour later, I strode up our driveway to find my mom's and my dad's cars were present in the driveway. That was very strange. Mom should've been at work and I could've sworn that dad had a job interview tonight. My stomach started knotting up with unease; something was wrong. I couldn't even remember last time mom had been home this early.

For a moment, I was tempted to turn back the way I had come and go straight to Joe's house. Joe's house offered security and protection while my house offered only unknown. I hesitated at the doorway, deciding whether or not to go inside. Part of me didn't want to know why my parents were home early. Something told me that the reason for their earliness was going to be bad. Finally, I decided to stop procrastinating and just go inside. Whatever it was couldn't bet that bad, right?

My eyes swept over the familiar living room as I entered and shut the door behind me. My parents were sitting side by side on the old, tattered couch looking at me as if they had been waiting for me to get home. I dropped my backpack unceremoniously onto the ground with a loud plop and walked over to the living room to see what was going on.

"Hey guys," I greeted my parents as cheerfully as I could, "Why's everyone home so early? I thought dad had an interview." My parents exchanged nervous looks before my mom looked back at me and pointed at the burgundy chair opposite to the couch, "Why don't you sit down a minute, Lisa? We have some news for you."

The ominous feeling inside me continued to grow as I padded across the floor and took a seat on the chair. Taking a deep breath, I asked, "So what is this 'news' exactly?" My mom looked at my dad again before speaking. It was as if she was asking him permission to speak. She said, "Well, you know how your dad's been looking for a job for a long time, right?"

I nodded. It was only common knowledge around our house about just how hard my dad had been trying to get a job. Mom continued on, "Your dad happened to get a secure job offer. And since money is so hard to come by these days, he's obviously going to accept." I smiled and nodded, knowing there was more. There was also some downfall to this knew job offer. I could just feel it in my gut. And my gut never lied.

When my parents didn't continue, I prompted, "That's great! I'm really happy for you dad. But there's more, isn't there?" Mom grimaced and nodded. She paused for a long moment before continuing to speak, "Your dad's job offer is in New York. We simply can't afford to turn down this job opportunity and so we're moving."

I gaped at my parents wide-eyed and with my mouth hanging open. This was certainly not at all what I had been expecting. We had lived in Vermont for our whole lives. It was my home and I never considered leaving it. I didn't want to leave. As a matter of fact, I would refuse to leave. They couldn't make me leave my friends, future, and home!

Once I managed to find my voice, I stated, "I won't move. This is my home. We can't do this. Seriously mom, what the hell are you think?" I usually tried to watch my language around my parents, but I was too upset to worry about that right now. All I wanted was for this crazy nightmare to stop and for everything to go back to normal.

My mom spoke in a gentle tone, "Honey, I know it's not ideal for any of us. It's not like your daddy and I want to leave. But like I said, we don't really have a choice. We're not going to be able to pay the bills unless we take this job offer." I just sat where I was in a sulky silence, refusing to believe anything my mom was saying.

Encouraged by my silence, mom continued, "I know you're gonna miss the familiarity of your friends, home, and Joe, but..." My face went white and I felt like my heart had stopped. If we moved, I would have to leave Joe! God, I couldn't leave Joe. Joe and I were soul mates, we belonged together. We could never be apart.

"I won't leave!" I yelled angrily, my voice cracking at the end of my sentence as I thought about Joe. As I got up to leave, my mom stood up as well and put a hand on my arm, "We have to leave, sweetie. That's final. Is there anything I can do to make this any easier for you?" I whipped my arm away from her grip and raced upstairs to my bedroom as tears started spilling down my face. My mom's last words rang in my head. I hated when she had said "that's final". Did that mean there was no hope left?

I burst into the familiarity of my bedroom. Two of the walls were painted black and the other two walls were painted red. My bedspread was a sparkly shade of crimson and a square ebony rug rested in the center of the room. I loved my room; it was the place I loved to be most in the world. Well, besides for being in Joe's arms that is.

I couldn't make myself think about leaving Joe. It just seemed like such a ridiculous and impossible suggestion. My parents had to be fucking crazy in order to think that I would just willing pack up and follow them to New York like a good girl. There was no way that was happened. As a matter of fact, I would run away if that's what it took to stay here with Joe!

With these thoughts swirling through my mind, I crashed down onto my bed and cried myself to sleep. My whole world seemed to be falling apart. Losing Joe was just something I had never thought was possible.